On Wednesday the 26 June a Change of Command ceremony was held at Camp Butmir where Major General Martin Dorfer handed over authority for the mission to Major General Reinhard Trischak.
Major General Dorfer has led the EUFOR mission since March 2018and in that time has: continued to support the BiH authorities helping them maintain a safe and secure environment, delivered support to demining efforts and raised awareness among at risk groups, supported the disposal and management of surplus weapons and ammunition left over from the 1992-1995 war and carried out combined and collective training with the Armed Forces of BiH.
During his speech Major General Dorfer said: “EUFOR has come a very long way and together we are now in a much better place; we are stronger, much better prepared and now with even greater interest and support from our partner nations.”
Major General Trischak arrives from his previous role as the Director of the Military Policy Division based at the Ministry of Defence, Austria. He has been engaged in the West Balkans region before and has also previously worked with the UN, EU and OSCE. His published work and lectures focus on the topics of military and security policy.
Major General Trischak said: “I look forward to working closely with my team here, as well as the key leaders and people of BiH in order to help achieve the goals of my mission and the goals of the population of BiH.”
After a military parade and troop inspection Lieutenant General Rittimann, the EU Operation Commander for Operation Althea, symbolically handed over the EUFOR flag from Major General Dorfer to Major General Trischak. Major General Dorfer was then presented with the Hungarian “Honours for the Alliance” medal by Brigadier General Horváth the former EUFOR Chief of Staff.
